State Intelligence On Alert Over Hate Crimes

State intelligence services have been placed on alert over moves to destabilise the country through hate crimes.

Sources said that intelligence agencies have been alerted over a political hand behind some of the recent hate crimes targeting Muslims.

State intelligence services at a meeting last week discussed measures which need to be taken to stop further incidents from taking place.

Sources also said that several individuals suspected to be involved in the hate crimes are to be arrested soon.

On Friday President Maithripala Sirisena said that various attempts are being made through the internet and some media institutions, to spread disharmony among communities and to create unrest in the country.

The President also said that when he asked the Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, regarding a statement made by a person during an interview with a private news channel that 166 Catholic churches were attacked during the past few months, the Archbishop had said that such incidents were not reported.